2019 Mercedes-AMG A35 spied

New S3 rival drops camouflage

James Wong

00:0223 February 2018

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The upcoming Mercedes-AMG A35 hatchback has been spied in the snow this week, ahead of a likely Paris motor show reveal.

Following the images of a camouflaged AMG A35 sedan, this latest prototype has dropped some of its disguise, showing a little more of what to expect from the mid-range hot hatch.

The A35 name was confirmed by AMG boss Tobias Moers himself in a recent interview with Top Gear Magazine, with the new variant to fill the gap between the A250 and AMG A45 models.

Key rivals include the Audi S3 and its popular Volkswagen Golf R twin, along with a slew of others including the Hyundai i30 N, Honda Civic Type R and Renault Megane RS.

Distinguishing this A35 mule from the regular A-Class range is a revised front bumper which remains hidden under the swirly black-and-white camouflage, along with a beefier rump with massive dual tailpipes – which will likely be changed for the production model.

The ugly and basic-looking alloys on this vehicle are likely temporary, despite being similar to the ones on the sedan prototype. We reckon they've been chosen because they hide the upgraded brake package. Cheeky cheeky.

It's believed the A35 will be powered by a four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine mated to a 48V mild-hybrid system, a drivetrain borrowed from the recently-revealed E350 Coupe and Cabriolet – which are currently off the cards for Australia due to left-hand-drive-only production.

The electrically-assisted two-door E-Class models feature a 220kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbo, with the 'EQ Boost' 48V starter-alternator adding up to 10kW and 150Nm at engine speeds up to 2500rpm.

Considering the E350 Coupe sprints manages the 0-100km/h dash in 5.9 seconds, the lighter A35 could easily approach the 5.0 second mark – or perhaps dip under it should it have 4Matic all-wheel drive.